Chris Froome described the aftermath of his horror crash on the Critérium du Dauphiné as like one thing out of a tv drama however believes he’s forward of schedule in his rehabilitation as he units his sights on subsequent yr’s Tour de France.

Froome’s hopes of a record-equalling fifth Tour title this yr have been resulted in violent trend in June when he crashed closely throughout a recon trip of the time trial route of the Dauphiné, struggling a number of damaged bones together with a fractured neck, a fractured proper femur, a damaged hip and fractured ribs.

The 34-year-old mentioned he has no recollection of the crash itself and has to depend on the accounts of those that noticed it, however he can recall what got here subsequent. “I feel it actually was a type of freak, freak accidents,” Froome mentioned in a video launched by Workforce Ineos on Saturday.

“I can keep in mind mendacity on the bottom and I keep in mind the primary responders coming over to me. My coach Tim Kerrison, Gary Blem, my mechanic and Servais Knaven, my director, have been all within the automobile behind me. I feel my first query was: ‘Can I stand up? Can I get again on my bike? Am I going to be OK?’ And so they made it very clear that I wasn’t and I ought to simply lie nonetheless and that I wouldn’t be carrying on with the remainder of the race.

“One in all my first questions was: ‘Am I going to be alright for the Tour de France?’ And so they in a short time put that out of my thoughts. They clearly couldn’t give a prognosis however they mentioned it appears like your leg is damaged and your arm doesn’t look good both. So no, you’re not going to be in your bike.

“I feel these first few moments are those that actually form of hit residence and I took it on board that I’m not going be racing the Tour de France this summer season. It virtually felt like a scene from Gray’s Anatomy or one thing.”

Workforce INEOS (@TeamINEOS)

In his first interview for the reason that crash that ended his 2019 season, @ChrisFroome displays on the incident and particulars his rigorous each day restoration regime which helps him transfer nearer to his aim of lining up on the beginning line for the 2020 Tour de France. pic.twitter.com/qWaubno3fz

Froome was instantly taken to hospital in Saint-Étienne the place he underwent a prolonged operation. “I may barely even breathe after surgical procedure,” he mentioned. “My lungs had been broken by my damaged ribs and my damaged sternum. I used to be coughing up blood and was having assist to breathe. It was scary after I got here across the morning after the operation and simply felt how hopeless I used to be, mendacity in that mattress.”

However Froome mentioned his mindset modified as quickly as he was informed by surgeons that he may make a 100% restoration. “That’s all I wished to listen to at that time,” he mentioned. “From that time on, it felt like everybody was so optimistic.”

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Froome mentioned he’s doing as much as six hours of workouts a day and has been given the inexperienced gentle to start out bearing weight on his broken proper leg. “I feel it’s secure to say I’m forward of all of the predictions that have been made initially,” he mentioned. “The one aim I’ve set myself is to get again to the Tour de France subsequent yr.

“Week by week I set myself little objectives when it comes to permitting myself a bit extra motion, simply small objectives. However for me, the underlying aim is to get to the beginning of the Tour de France subsequent yr in 2020 and to be at the same or higher place than I used to be this yr. That’s what’s driving me in the intervening time.”